Unusually Unusual
by Becky Sky
Summary: There, inscribed into her skin like words on paper, was a tattoo of a trident, shining a bright greenish blue. Eyes going wide with astonishment, he asked, in a squeaky voice, “Is it real?” Song by Lonestar. Songfic


Unusually Unusual

"You read minds?"

"Oh no, not yet." The girl exchanged a bashful glance with him, blushing slightly. It sent a faint glow over her cheeks, and her fiery hair glistened in the light of the room. Jay felt shivers crawling up his spine.

"But maybe one day," Hera said, smiling down at Theresa through warm blue eyes. Theresa grinned and ducked her head, whispering softly to herself, "Maybe."

"Want us to show you the dorm?" Jay asked, wanting to be courteous and, he hated to admit, spend more time with this unusual girl. As the group walked along, Atlanta and Odie walking ahead, he found the perfect opportunity to talk with the tall, slender redhead.

"So, you're rich?" He wanted to bite his tongue for asking such a dim-witted question. Of course she was rich, or else she wouldn't be wearing brand-name jeans. She laughed a bit and nodded.

"That's me," she replied. "You're rich, snobby, and beautiful rich girl." He couldn't tell if she was joking or not. Noticing his peculiar look, she rolled her eyes. "I was being sarcastic," she supplied.

"Oh." Now he felt dimmer than ever. Why was it he had only known her for what, ten minutes, and she had the ability to make him feel stupid, his heart thump furiously, and his words to come out in strangled form? The answer was too scary to think about.

"So, what's with the telepathic thing?"

"Oh, you can call me Cassandra, by the way."

He stared at her blankly.

She introduced herself as Amy, said call me Caroline for short  
I just moved in three doors down so I wouldn't be the girl next door  
And I knew the shoes she wasn't wearing fit her just right  
She said, "Hey, man did you know that somebody left your grass out in the yard all night?"

"You know, in Greek mythology, the girl who lived in Troy, and warned them of it's doom? She could see the future in little snatches of images; visions. Ever heard of psychics? Well, she was the one of the past."

"Oh, I get it! You were joking!"

She peered at him curiously. "Yeah."

Rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably, he tried to explain his sudden loss of words and sanity, not to mention brain. "Umm, uh… I'm not usually like this."

"I don't know whether to take that as an insult or a compliment."

"A compliment!" he blurted hurriedly. "Take it as a compliment." He didn't feel like making enemies with one of his team-mates when the whole team wasn't even together yet!

Grinning, she flashed a pearly smile. "Sure. It's Jay, right?"

Nodding, he continued to match her pace as they walked along past tall brick houses, tiny lawns, and short slender trees that reminded him of the girl's own thin frame. "Do you have any hobbies?" she asked casually.

"Sailing and stargazing."

"Really? That's awesome! I love to look up at the stars. I don't know many of the constellations, though." She smiled ruefully. "I'd like to get to know them, though," she said, sneaking a glance at him. Looking down at the ground, she waited for him to say something. But he found himself analyzing her long luscious hair that cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall. Each one glistened in the moonlight, tiny strands of reddish gold that glittered like coins.

What was wrong with him? Since when did he think in similes and metaphors? He had to say something, anything to save him from becoming an ogling fool over someone he barely knew.

She's unusually unusual  
Absolutely unpredictable  
She's so different and that's what's wonderful  
She's unusually unusual  
And that's beautiful to me

"Um… I could teach you some of the constellations!"

"Would you? That's great!" Smiling, she gave him a quick hug, and then realized what she had done. "Oh, sorry," she said, backing off quickly. "It's just that back home, we did that all the time. I don't know about Canadians…"

"I'm American."

"Oh, well I guess we're Canadians now?" she asked uncertainly. In the dim light of the moon, he couldn't tell if she was blushing or not.

She hurried ahead, leaving him baffled at whatever had happened so quickly between them.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A few days later, after fighting and defeating the Typheon, Jay sat with Theresa on the roof of the dorm, watching the skies. Gratitude for a clear sky once more filled him right to the brim. Sighing, he leaned back to see if he could spot Orion, his favourite constellation.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" Theresa asked. "It's nights like these that makes it hard to believe we're supposed to save the world."

"I know," he agreed. Silence drifted between them like fog, comforting and a little mysterious. There were still things he had to learn about this girl, things he wanted to know. "So," he said suddenly, "Do you have any other surprises for me?"

She stared at him suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it's just that I didn't expect a…"

"Karate expert out of me?" she asked, glaring at him. "Well, I've got another thing coming at you, Jay who thinks that all pretty girls are frills and bows." Thoroughly annoyed, she bent over and rolled up her jeans. Lifting her foot, she spun it around to settle in his lap. He began to gulp and swallow nervously. This had never happened to him before.

Noticing his anxiety, she snapped, "Oh for gods' sake, Jay, it's just a foot. Look at the ankle!"

He forced himself to look without saying anything dumb. There, inscribed into her skin like words on paper, was a tattoo of a trident, shining a bright greenish blue. Eyes going wide with astonishment, he asked, in a squeaky voice, "Is it real?"

"Yep, and my dad went wild," she said proudly. "He finally gave me some attention." Flipping her hair back so quickly he swore he heard it snap like a whip, she gave him a triumphant grin. "So, am I still the same girly-girl you thought I was?"

She had a tattoo above her ankle of a trident submarine  
She said it symbolizes awesome powers hidden deep within our dreams  
And her diamond eyes, different in color, held me captive in their light  
And she said "Hey, man did you know we used to be brothers in some past life?"

"No way," he breathed, admiration burning in his heart. Gone was the impression of a meek British school girl. In its place was the tough attitude and discipline of a karate expert, along with the rough and wild attitude of a wild horse. Jay shook his head. He still couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. He was still thinking in metaphors!

Geez, what was wrong with him?

"You're so unusual!" he exclaimed out of the blue. She stared at him, eyes narrowed.

"Is that good or bad?" Again, he was forced to assure her that was good, really good. It was great, in fact, at least, according to him.

"You're wonderful!" Oh great, Jay, he thought to himself. Just tell her everything that's happening, how your heart won't stop beating as quick as a gazelle, or how you love the way her eyes sparkle…

Cocking a brow, she asked, "Oh really?" Then, "I like that."

She's unusually unusual  
Absolutely unpredictable  
She's so different and that's what's wonderful  
She's unusually unusual  
And that's beautiful to me

"I like that too."

She shook her head, laughing. "You know what, Jay? I still haven't figured you out yet. But when I do, I think I'll really like you." Grinning at him teasingly, she added, "I think you're kinda unusual too. In a nice way, though." Then she stood up, leaning over him. He could smell lavender perfume, and the scent engulfed him. A stray curl snagged in his jacket as she planted a kiss on his forehead. It snapped and stayed wrapped around his button as she straightened and swaggered away, leaving him speechlessly staring after her, his heart thumping rapidly.

Some people may think she's strange, a different cup of tea  
But she just does it for me

He looked down at his jacket, picking up the hair and examining it. It shimmered like gold in the twinkling light of the stars. Kissing it as best he could, he tucked it into a tissue so he couldn't loose it and put it in his jacket pocket. Capturing a little piece of beauty, he couldn't get his unusually unusual acquaintance out of his head. And he didn't really want to.

She's unusually unusual  
Absolutely unpredictable  
She's so different and that's what's wonderful  
She's unusually unusual  
And that's beautiful to me


End file.
